News & Media

Beer Institute Partners with Members of Congress to Curb Drunk Driving

December 22, 2015

Holiday public service announcements ask consumers to plan ahead and drink responsibly

WASHINGTON, DC – The holiday season is a time of celebration with friends and family, making it an appropriate time to encourage people to drink responsibly and to not drive drunk. In an effort to amplify this important message, the Beer Institute is partnering with members of Congress to record and distribute public service announcements asking the public to share the beer industry’s Commitment to Responsibility.

As of today, more than 40 members of Congress, from both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, have recorded responsibility PSAs as part of the Beer Institute’s second-annual holiday effort.

Through this initiative, the Beer Institute is working with elected officeholders to send a powerful message about drinking responsibly: “Get a designated driver. Find a safe ride home. And have a safe and happy holiday season.”

“We want to remind the public that drunk driving is 100 percent preventable,” said Jim McGreevy, Beer Institute president and CEO. “This is an issue that our industry is committed to, and as parents and neighbors ourselves, we are unwavering in our sustained efforts to keep drunk drivers off the roads. We greatly appreciate the opportunity to work with lawmakers to help their constituents.”

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, drunk-driving fatalities have decreased 53 percent since 1982 and 7 percent in the past five years.

The Beer Institute is a national trade association for the American brewing industry, representing both large and small brewers, as well as importers and industry suppliers. First founded in 1862 as the U.S. Brewers Association, the Beer Institute is committed today to the development of sound public policy and to the values of civic duty and personal responsibility: www.BeerInstitute.org. Connect with us @BeerInstitute and on Facebook.